STATEWIDE PROPOSITIONS.

PROPOSITION 40: The California Clean Water, Clean Air, Safe Neighborhood Parks, and Coastal Protection Act of 2002.

The proposition would allow the state to sell $2.6 billion in bonds for natural resources conservation, state and local park acquisition and improvement, and historical and cultural resources preservation purposes.

Pro: Proposition 40 will provide clean, safe drinking water, clean coastal waters and better air quality. It will protect the most important coastal lands, and make our neighborhood parks safer and more secure.

Con: The special interests backing Proposition 40 are the same groups that supported Propositions 12 and 13 in 2000, bonds for parks and clean water totaling more than $4 billion. After the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, California has higher priorities, including law enforcement and disease control. Now is not the time for lower priority spending. We simply don't have the money.

PROPOSITION 41: Voting Modernization Bond Act of 2002.

The state would be able to sell $200 million in bonds to assist counties with the purchase of new voting systems.

Pro: Proposition 41 will modernize all California's antiquated voting machines with new high-tech voting machines to ensure that every vote is counted.

Con: Proposition 41 is another debt for Californians to pay. We should pay for new voting machines with current tax collections rather than increase our debt and interest payments. Californians cannot and should not assume more debt. Politicians should spend wisely, not keep asking us to shoulder more debt.

PROPOSITION 42: Transportation Congestion Improvement Act.

The state constitution would require, beginning in 2003-04, that gasoline sales tax revenues be used annually for state and local transportation purposes.

Pro: Proposition 42 provides a common-sense way to get California moving safely again - without raising taxes. It requires the gasoline sales tax - a tax we already pay at the pump - be used to improve highways, local roads and mass transit. By speeding up road safety and traffic relief projects, Proposition 42 will also help get our economy moving again. It's expected to create thousands of new engineering, construction and other jobs at a time when we need them the most.

Con: Proposition 42 has us voting in 2002 on spending priorities that take effect in 2008. It would force $1.2 billion in vital education, health care and public safety cuts to pay for increased spending on transportation. It locks into the state constitution a transportation spending formula with no taxpayer accountability.

PROPOSITION 43: Right to have vote counted.

The state constitution would be amended to affirm the right of a voter to have his/her vote counted. In addition, state law (1) would explicitly authorize county elections officials to ask the court for an extension of a post-election deadline to allow additional time to count votes and (2) would explicitly authorize courts to approve such a request.

Pro: The right to vote is meaningless if you cannot be sure that your vote will be counted. Proposition 43 expressly provides you with a constitutional right to have your vote counted. By voting yes, you help ensure that elections are decided by voters, and not by courts or government officials.

Con: Proposition 43 does not remedy - or even address - any of the problems experienced in Florida. Part of what is missing under California law are fair and detailed standards for any recounting of ballots. If punchcard ballots are still to be used in California, the state Legislature needs to provide the details for the interpretation of those ballots in the event of a hand recount.

PROPOSITION 44: Chiropractors. Unprofessional Conduct.

The Board of Chiropractic Examiners would be required to revoke a chiropractor's license for a period of 10 years upon his or her conviction of various criminal offenses, including insurance fraud, and to investigate any licensed chiropractor who is criminally charged with committing insurance fraud.

Pro: Insurance fraud creates higher insurance premiums for us all. Although most chiropractors practice lawfully, some do not. Stiffer penalties for second convictions of insurance fraud must be put in place like ones that exist for other professionals like doctors and lawyers.

Con: Let the punishment fit the crime. The only reason a chiropractor should lose his license is for harming patients. Financial dishonesty has nothing to do with medical skill. Chiropractors who commit fraud should have to pay back their victims, and must be able to earn a living to do so.

PROPOSITION 45: Legislative Term Limits. Local Voter Petitions.

This proposition would allow local registered voters to petition the secretary of state to permit their incumbent senator or Assembly member, who is otherwise ineligible due to term limits, to run for re-election to serve up to an additional four years. Consequently, a senator could serve a maximum of three four-year terms and an Assembly member a maximum of five two-year terms.

Pro: Proposition 45 will not end term limits. It will keep term limits in place while giving local voters the option of extending the term of their own lawmaker - one time only. Proposition 45 gives back control to local voters. If local voters want to have an effective legislator stay in office another four years, they should be able to keep him/her in office.

Con: Proposition 45 would kill term limits in California, and keep entrenched career politicians in office in Sacramento. Proposition 45 is funded with millions of dollars from career politicians, lobbyists, and powerful special interests like tobacco companies, trial lawyers and energy giants. Gathering signatures is easy for an incumbent. It's not a grass-roots movement by voters to keep a legislator.